Hebrew

[hee-broo]

noun

1. a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite.

2. a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, the language of the ancient Hebrews, which, although not in a vernacular use from 100 b.c. to the 20th century, was retained as the scholarly and liturgical language of Jews and is now the national language of Israel. Heb

adjective

1. Hebraic.

2. noting or pertaining to the script developed from the Aramaic and early Hebraic alphabets, used since about the 3rd century b.c. for the writing of Hebrew, and later for Yiddish, Ladino, and other languages.

Hebrew

/ ˈhiːbruː /

noun

1. the ancient language of the Hebrews, revived as the official language of Israel. It belongs to the Canaanitic branch of the Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages

2. a member of an ancient Semitic people claiming descent from Abraham; an Israelite

3. archaic,  a Jew

adjective

1. of or relating to the Hebrews or their language

2. archaic,  Jewish

Hebrew

1. The language of the Hebrews, in which the Old Testament was written. It is the language of the modern state of Israel.

Other Word Forms

• non-Hebrew noun
• pre-Hebrew adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hebrew¹

before 1000; Middle English Hebreu, variant (with H- < Latin ) of Ebreu < Old French < Medieval Latin Ebrēus for Latin Hebraeus < Late Greek Hebraîos < Aramaic ʿIbhraij; replacing Old English Ebrēas (plural) < Medieval Latin Ebrēī

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hebrew¹

C13: from Old French Ebreu, from Latin Hebraeus, from Greek Hebraios, from Aramaic `ibhray, from Hebrew `ibhrī one from beyond (the river)

Example Sentences

Mark Goldstone said his relative had been due to help at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue at 09:30 BST on Thursday but had been persuaded to cover a later shift by his wife.

From BBC

Organisers of Saturday's protest had been asked to reconsider their plans following the killing of two men at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Yom Kippur - the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar.

From BBC

They also said they had information that Al-Shamie, 35, had gone to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on foot before returning in a car 15 minutes later when the attack began.

From BBC

Counter terror police also released more details about what happened in the run up to Thursday's attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue.

From BBC

Two people died and three others are in hospital after a man drove a car at members of the public before stabbing people outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall on Thursday morning.

From BBC